REPUBLIC OF CROATIA NATIONAL PROTECTION AND RESCUE DIRECTORATE FIRE FIGHTING SERVICE Experiences in wildfire suppression of Croatia DRAVIS 2 Kaposvár, from 22 nd to 24 th March 2011

Mladen Vinkovic FEATURES OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IN CROATIA Drought (forest fires) Heavy precipitation (floods) Wind storms MELTING ICE CAP CHANGE IN WEATHER SYSTEM BEHAVIOR

STATISTICS 1,000 – 1,200 forest fires/year burnt-down vegetation 20,000 – 30,000 ha/year deaths in the country: 40-50/year Mladen Vinkovic

CLIMATE ZONES CLIMATE ZONES ( ) 2020 ESTIMATE 2050 ESTIMATE

Mladen Vinkovic CROATIAN METEOROLOGISTS’ ESTIMATES Increase in winter surface pressure - increase in number and/or duration of anticyclonal situations; decrease in number and/or duration of cyclonal situations Increase in surface air temperature by as much as 2.5°C Less precipitation is possible Stronger and more frequent north winds are possible National Report of the Republic of Croatia in line with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

GLOBAL FACTORS CAUSING MORE WILDFIRES Climate change Emigration Homeland War Development of tourism Mladen Vinkovic

WHAT SHOULD WE DO? Procure new and expensive equipment AIR FORCE FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLES ON THE ROAD OFF THE ROAD Mladen Vinkovic ON THE ROAD

WHAT SHOULD WE DO? Equip and train firefighters FIREFIGHTERS OFF THE ROAD ON THE ROAD A WELL-EQUIPPED AND WELL-TRAINED FIREMAN FIGHTS FIRES AT ALL TIMES AND ON ALL TERRAINS Mladen Vinkovic

GOAL Train fire officers to use new technologies for suppression of wild fires Have agile, well-equipped and well-trained firefighters Mladen Vinkovic

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR A FIRE OFFICER Computer technology skills Satellite fire monitoring and interpreting satellite images Use of GPS Use of air forces Mladen Vinkovic

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR A FIRE OFFICER Use of unmanned aircraft with a view to collecting and interpreting information and decision-making in fighting wild fires Mladen Vinkovic

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje USING UAV SYSTEM FOR COMMANDING IN FOREST FIRES

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje DESCRIPTION Camera with possibility of sending video signal in real time. Weight of camera: 250g Resolution: video 640x480; picture 12Mp Zoom: 12x ( focal length mm) Number of engines: 6 Power engine: 110 W Weight without battery: 1 kg Battery: Li-Po; 370 g; 4,2 Ah Flight duration: min. Altitude: m Flight radius: m Wind speed: 8 m/s (28,8 km/h)

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Thermocamera Flir Photon Weight: 100 g Resolution: 320x240 Number of pictures per sec.: 9 Temperature resolution: 1/10 °C Video camera Weight: 60 g Resolution: PAL 752x520 Zoom: 10x

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Device for remote control Ground station for control of camera

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje PILOT OPERATOR

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Take offLanding

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje mn 310 mn 128 m

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Inserting picture in Google

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje mn 415 mn 123 m

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje mn 115 mn 445 m

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Ground view – commander location

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje View from ZOOM

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Connecting pictures - oblique clip

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Flight programming Take off FENIX

Zabranjeno je daljnje kopiranje i prikazivanje bez znanja Državne uprave za zaštitu i spašavanje Connecting pictures after flight One flight can cover about 1 km 2 (100 ha)

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR A FIREFIGHTER Great physical endurance Acquires new agility skills Learns about wild fire behavior Participates in rescue drills and exercises Participates in drills and exercises for coordinating operations with air forces (airplanes and helicopters) Mladen Vinkovic

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN RC? A Rulebook has been prepared with the training program for members of emergency firefighting units in dealing with wild fires Procurement of equipment for wildfire fighting Mladen Vinkovic

Procurement of new airplanes Procurement of new firefighting vehicles for suppression of forest fires through a project of the RC Government WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN RC? Mladen Vinkovic

WHAT’S NEXT? Cooperation with the neighboring and EU countries is vital since wild fires respect no boundaries

Mladen Vinkovic CONCLUSION Join forces and know-how Carry out joint small-scale firefighting exercises – e.g. “Balaton 2008” Harmonize tactics and response, as well as rescue equipment Establish a joint center(s) for the exchange of know-how and skills Establish working groups at a national level to exchange experiences and propose joint solutions in addressing emergencies

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !! QUESTIONS? THE END Mladen Vinković Assistant Chief Firefighting Commander National Protection and Rescue Directorate Fire Service